


Rain in a Desert

by Akihaa



Category: Tales of Berseria, Tales of Series
Genre: Also starring random mysterious old lady whose identity may or may not be revealed in a future fic, Denial of Feelings, F/F, Fluff and Angst, You have to be at least a level 10 friend before unlocking my tragic backstory, and my feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-01
Updated: 2018-02-01
Packaged: 2019-03-12 15:20:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13550085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akihaa/pseuds/Akihaa
Summary: Eleanor makes a trip into town and enters a mysterious store. After an equally mysterious exchange with the elderly shopkeeper, she buys something nice for a friend before meeting up with the rest of her ragtag rebel group.She gives the thing she'd bought to Magilou as a gift, much to the latter's surprise, which spurs an unusual interaction between the two. Eleanor is left to ponder what really goes on in Magilou's mind, while later that night...





	Rain in a Desert

“Come one, come all! We have the perfect gift for anyone! Great deals and sales, so take a look!”

Eleanor waded through the crowded streets. Vendors and customers alike both talked over the other, bargaining for the best prices. Whether it was new clothes, food, or accessories, each stall down the street had whatever you would need in your daily life. It comforted Eleanor to know that such normal, almost arbitrary lifestyles still upheld despite all that was happening.

The 6 of the group had split up, each attending whatever matters they had to before regrouping at Van Eltia.

Eleanor turned around the corner into the town square where the more proper, established shops were located. She strolled around, glancing at the various stores through their windows seeing what they sold, confectionery, toys, gifts, and books being some of them.

“Mom! Mom! Look at that teddy bear!! It’s sooo cute! Can we get it pleaaaase?” A young girl nearby begged her mother who was holding her hand for one of the white colored toys sitting inside the store’s display. Eleanor smiled at the sight. Perhaps in a better time, that could have been Kamoana and her own mother.

 

Deciding it was time to stop window shopping and meet up with the others, Eleanor turned on her heels and headed to the city’s port, until a certain shop had caught her eye. Past the windows seemed to be dimly lit compared to the surrounding shops. In fact, it was strange, bizarre almost, that the sun which was shining so strongly during noontime would not at least brighten up the store through its wide window panels. A sign hanging above the doors had letters in another language that Eleanor couldn’t identify. However, another sign plastered on the inside of the doors’ window clearly said “Open”.

She was certain that this particular shop hadn’t been there when she first passed by, or else she surely would have noticed it first. The exorcist simply brushed it off, telling herself that she was merely too distracted to not have noticed. Her curiosity now piqued by the peculiar shop, she made her way to the entrance and helped herself inside. The tinkling of a small bell echoed throughout the store to notify whatever vendor of her arrival.

 

Except, there seemed to be no one in the shop. There was a wide counter near the front of shop, clearly meant to have staffing behind it, yet not even a soul was to be found. The inside of the store was dim, but there seemed to be just enough light for Eleanor to be able to see the interior well.

“E-excuse me? Hello? The sign said you were open, so I hope that I’m not intruding!” Eleanor called out, to which she received no response. “Strange…” She ventured further inside, glancing around the strange baubles and gadgets resting in a slightly disheveled manner on the wooden shelves attached to the wall. Nearby, a Grandfather clock sat silently in a lone corner, its pendulum swinging to and fro. Eleanor’s eyes followed the golden pendulum with each perfect arc, almost entranced by its charm the longer she stared. It must have been at least more than a couple seconds before Eleanor shook her head and managed to tear her gaze away.

“This must be some sort of antique store.” She mumbled to herself. She glanced around some more, noticing that the opposite side of where the mysterious gadgets had been were where clothing accessories seemed to be located. Various hats, gloves, and scarves hung on hooks and racks. However, they seemed quite worn and drab, at least to Eleanor’s eye. What sort of shop owner would sell such unpleasant looking clothing?

 

Deciding that there seemed to be nothing else interesting left to examine, Eleanor turned to exit the mysterious shop. It had only been a couple steps before the interior suddenly brightened. It was as if invisible blinds over the windows had lifted, allowing the sun’s light to filter in and illuminate the once dark store.

A flickering glimmer called out to Eleanor in the corner of her eye. She turned, noticing a stray beam of light hitting against some kind of shimmering object resting atop one of the selves near the clothing as if it were pointing at it with an ethereal arrow. The curious praetor warily padded towards the shining item to investigate. The glare prevented her from seeing exactly what it was until she approached it and used a hand to block the ray of light from shining on it.

 

Eleanor’s breath caught in her throat.

 

Before her eyes were a pair of crystal drop earrings resting inside a small, wooden box that was left open. They were a particular shade of carnelian that struck Eleanor with a sense of familiarity.

“This material seems like some sort of gemstone. Is it Garnet…?” Eleanor muttered to herself. She picked up the box and brought it closer to her eye.

 

“My, my, you must have good taste in jewelry, young dear.”  


“Wha-!?”

 

A sudden voice from behind Eleanor startled her. She fumbled the box in her hands, nearly dropping it, but her quick reflexes allowed her to catch it just before it hit the floor. Eleanor breathed a sigh of relief before realizing that the owner of the voice was still watching her. She straightened herself out from her extravagant pose that resulted from reaching out to catch the box and cleared her throat in an attempt to retain some of her dignity.

“W-why hello! You must be the shopkeeper?” Eleanor stuttered. Before her stood an elderly woman with long white hair tied in a thin ponytail. The lady held a cane with a handle in the shape of a crow’s head in one hand, and held her other hand behind her slightly hunched back.

“Indeed I am.” The woman said with a mysterious, but welcoming smile.

“My apologies if I’d intruded. The sign on the door said that you were open, so I assumed-”

“And you assumed correctly! And might I assume that you have taken interest in those earrings?” The elderly shopkeeper moved her hand from behind her back to point at the box within Eleanor’s hands.

“Y-yes. There was just something about them that attracted me to them, you could say.” Eleanor explained. “Although, I don’t usually wear earrings, so I wouldn’t really have any use for them. It would be a shame for such wonderful jewelry to go wasted.”

“Well, you have a good eye. Surely there must be someone you know who would appreciate them.”

“Hmm...Now that you mention it, Magilou does wear earrings often.” Eleanor mumbled.

“If you’d like those, I would usually charge about 12,000 gald.” The old woman chuckled.

“12,000!? Granted, these are beautifully crafted, but 12,000…”

“But for you, young lady, will only be 200.”

Eleanor balked at the offer. “Are you sure? From 12,000 to 200 is quite the steep discount. Surely you must charge higher in order to make profit!”

“That may be true for a normal business owner, but I assure you that I insist on this offer.”

 

Eleanor looked upon the elderly woman’s face, whose eyes were hidden behind that mysterious smile.

“...But why for me? Is it because I’m an exorcist?” Eleanor questioned.

 

“No, not at all. In fact, I’m well aware that you’re currently wanted by the Abbey themselves, Miss Eleanor Hume.” The woman laughed, much to Eleanor’s shock. “Oh, but not to worry. I don’t discriminate. Rest assured that I have no interest in meddling with any sort of Abbey affairs. All I’m interested in is having my wares find a good home. That is why I’m offering such a generous discount! Because I know this pair of gorgeous earrings would find a good place to belong, should you decide to take them with you.” She said. “It must be fate. You had mentioned earlier that you were drawn to them, did you not?”

 

Eleanor’s mind raced with possibilities that this may be a trap. Looking at the elderly woman’s warm smile once again, she found it hard that she would truly be in cohorts with Abbey, but Eleanor could never be too careful. Perhaps she had some relationship to the Bloodwings, but she wore no red scarf to identify herself as so.

“If you decide not to take these, that is fine as well. But it would do my poor old heart some good to know that they’ve finally found a good place for themselves.” She pressed.

 

“...Okay. I will take them.” Eleanor decided. “However, I would not rest easy at night, knowing that I’d paid so little for what these are worth. Here. I will pay you what I can, Madam. Please, take it.” She took the woman’s hand and placed a pouch that clearly contained much more than 200 gald in her palm. “My friend’s are waiting for me, so I must leave to meet up with them soon. But thank you, and may we meet again.”

Eleanor bowed, hastily shoving the box into her pocket and dashed out, painfully aware of the sun inching closer towards the horizon.

 

The old shopkeeper, still holding the pouch in her hand, simply chuckled to herself.

 

“She’s quite stiff for a girl so young, but her kindness is a trait that’s hard to find in this age.” She said to no one. “But, it’s easy to get hurt with a heart so kind. I suppose in her case, however, she must be careful not to hurt someone else.”

* * *

 

“Where’s Eleanor? She’s late, and she’s not the type to be late to anything.” Velvet grumbled.

“Let’s give her a little bit more. She should be here any minute.” Suggested Eizen.

“Are you sure you guys shouldn’t be looking for her? She is a wanted traitor, after all. For all we know, she could’ve gotten arrested already and we would be none the wiser.” Magilou teased, as usual.

 

“No, I don’t think so. We would have heard some sort of commotion if that were the case, and Laphicet would have felt something if she really were in trouble.” Velvet countered. “Besides, we all know Eleanor wouldn’t be captured that easily.”

The group had already gathered at the port where the Van Eltia was docked. All they were waiting for was Eleanor to arrive so they could take off.

“L-Look! Over there! It’s Eleanor!” Laphicet pointed to a figure in the distance who was approaching rapidly. She was quickly identifiable by her red pigtails flapping behind her.

Eleanor slowed to a halt once she reached to port with the others. She rested her hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath.

“Are you alright!?” Laphicet asked, concerned.

“Sorry...To make you guys wait...I got caught up with something.” Eleanor panted.

“It’s fine. Just don’t do it again, or else we’ll leave you behind next time.” Velvet casually remarked before boarding on the ship. Eizen followed behind her, stopping to talk to Benwick.

“Ooooh, how cold as usual, the Lord of Calamity is! But lucky that you just got a scolding. I thought she’d eat you alive!” Quipped the witch.

“Yeah, yeah. Let’s hurry on the ship while we still have daylight!” Eleanor easily brushed off Magilou’s remarks.

 

The group finally all boarded the ship, and the pirate crew worked quickly and soon they were set off, not wasting a single second. As expected of seasoned sailors.

 

Eizen was at the helm, giving instructions to the crew and keeping a close eye on the newer pirates to ensure they were doing a proper job. Rokurou was occupying himself by sharpening one of his daggers while Velvet talked quietly with Laphicet near the railing.

  
Eleanor enjoyed watching the sunset, so she was quite content looking off into the golden horizon by herself. Of course, until a certain witch was ready to interrupt her peace.

 

“Oh? What’s this, a gift for me? Why Eleanor, how thoughtful of you!”

 

Eleanor turned around to see Magilou picking up something off the floor of the ship. Velvet, with somehow perfect timing, had finished her conversation with Laphicet and was heading towards the cabin to plan out what needed to be done once they arrived on shore. She happened to catch Magilou pick up a wooden box that had fallen out of Eleanor’s pocket.

“Hey, Magilou. You can’t just take other people’s stuff. Give it back to her.”

“You know, not too long ago I seem to remember you literally kidnapping a malak from an exorcist before her very eyes.” Magilou retorted.

“...That’s not related.”

 

“Oh!” Eleanor gasped, remembering that the box Magilou was holding had been the one she purchased. “Actually, those _are_ for you, Magilou. I must have forgotten about it when I was trying to make it back as soon as I could.”

 

“Wait, what?” Velvet gawked. “...Well, if that’s the case, then it’s none of my business.” She quickly turned and ducked inside the cabin.

Though Velvet was surprised, Magilou herself was speechless.

 

“M-Magilou? Are you alright?” Eleanor asked. The witch seemingly snapped out of a trance and turned back to Eleanor.

“Am I alright? Why, I should be asking you the same question! If you think a witch’s heart can be won over by simple material possessions, you’re terribly mistaken!” Magilou said in her most dramatic voice possible. Eleanor simply laughed, already used to this behavior.

“Can’t you accept gifts like a normal person? Go ahead, open it!”

“Well, alright then. If you insist!”

Magilou opened the box. Her eyes widened upon seeing the curiously colored earrings and couldn’t help but stare.

 

“...Do you like them? The old lady who sold them to me was a bit strange, but she was nice enough to give me a bit of a discount on it. Granted, I don’t wear earrings, but I knew you did so I-”

 

“Are you sure you want to give me these, Eleanor?” Magilou interrupted. The tone in her voice was completely different than it was mere seconds ago.

“Of course! Like I said, they’re a gift for you. I wouldn’t say they were if I wasn’t certain that I wanted to give them to you.” Eleanor replied with a smile.

 

Magilou searched her eyes, looking for some sort of sign.

 

“You know, these earrings aren’t just any piece of jewelry you’d normally see sold by some street vendor, or even the White Turtlez folk.” The witch mused. “In fact, they seem to be enchanted by an arte that I can’t recognize.”

“W-what!? Is it some sort of tracking arte!? I knew that lady was suspicious, but-”

“No. It’s not any sort of malicious arte, I can tell that much.”

“Oh. Well in that case, it should be alright then, for the most part.”

 

Magilou unhooked the earrings from the box and held them up. The light of the setting sun shone through them, causing a beautiful array of scarlet light to scatter on the floor of the ship.

“Eleanor, would you happen to know what kind of crystal these are made of?” She asked, to which Eleanor shook her head.

 

“No. I suspected that they may have been Garnet the first time I took a look at them, but seeing it now, the color is just a bit off for it to be so. But it’s quite mysterious, isn’t it?” Eleanor thought aloud. “The light did the same thing when I first saw them, as if it’s some sort of magnet that the light is attracted to.”

“Mmhm. And I wonder why that is...” Magilou mumbled.

 

However, Magilou was already fully aware of the answer.

 

“Here, why don’t I put them on for you?” Eleanor offered. She quickly took the jewelry from Magilou’s hands and prepared to put them on Magilou’s ears, before a hand stopped her from touching them.

“That’s alright. I assure you that I can put them on myself just fine!” Magilou smiled.

“No, I insist. They’re a gift from me, after all, so it’s proper that I-”

“I believe that I said I can put them on myself.” Magilou’s voice had gone dark and cold. Eleanor, stunned by the sudden change in demeanor, retreated her hand.

 

“O-Oh, alright, then,” The exorcist reached out and returned the peculiar earrings with a concerned smile. “Here.”

Magiou, knowing that she’d severely broken her character just now, quickly attached the jewelry to her ears and reverted to her clownish self to make amends.

“Well? How do I look? Am I too beautiful?” She said with a spin.

Eleanor giggled. “Yes, quite so,” She played along. “Oh, I have a mirror. Take a look for yourself!” Eleanor plucked her mother’s hand mirror out of her pocket and flipped the lid open. Magilou leaned down, tilting her head to the side to get a good look at the earrings hanging from her pointed ears and smiled at herself.

“Why, I _am_ too beautiful! What shall I do? Men, Women, and animals alike, both left and right will be fawning over my presence! I’m afraid you’ve simply given me too much power, Eleanor.”

“I-I’m not too sure about the ‘animals’ part…”

 

Before they knew it, the sky had turned to lavender as the moon began to rise, soon to replace its counterpart to watch over the seas.

“Weelll, it’s getting late. I think I’m gonna go get some beauty sleep. Don’t tell anyone, but it’s the secret to my wonderfully youthful skin!” Magilou chimed. “Anyway, the next time we stop by Meirchio, I’ll need to make sure to ask if Grimoire knows what kind of arte these things are enchanted with.” She turned, making her way to the cabin.

  
“Alright. I think I’m going to stay out here for a little while longer. Good night, Magilou.”

 

Magilou paused upon hearing those last words, before heading inside. Eleanor simply thought that Magilou hadn’t heard her and didn’t reply.

 

The exorcist turned, looking out to the moon.

 

...How strange.

 

Not that Magilou herself wasn’t strange in the first place, but as Eleanor replayed their interaction in her mind, she began to realize the multiple signs in Magilou’s behavior that just wasn’t...her. Especially when-

 

“Eleanor? Are you alright?”

“Y-yes!!”

A small voice belonging to none other than Laphicet called out to her, interrupting her in her thoughts with a shock.

 

“Are you sure? You seem so lost in thought, I wanted to make sure you were okay.” Phi murmured.

“No, I was...just thinking.” Eleanor assured.

“About what?” The young malak’s eyes always had that glimmer of curiosity in them. It was hard to resist telling him everything just to sate that desire for knowledge. Eleanor hesitated, wanting to tell him what was on her mind, but not wanting to worry him over something that might have been just her overthinking.

 

“...Laphicet, what do you think of Magilou?” She decided to ask.

“Magilou? Hmm...well, I think she’s funny, and never fails to bring a smile on my face with her silliness when I’m feeling down. Sure, at times she can be a bit strange or say things that are confusing and don’t make sense, but for the most part I like having her around!” Phi spoke honestly without any room for doubt that he spoke otherwise.

 

“...I see.”

“Eleanor, do you...not like Magilou?”

“N-No! Of course not! I was just thinking because, well, I mean,” Eleanor stumbled over her words, clumsily trying the right ones to describe her thoughts. “Don’t you think that maybe, sometimes...that she tries too hard?”

“What do you mean?” Phi tilted his head as Eleanor looked down into his innocent eyes. Eyes which told her that even though he may have matured and learned much on his journey with them, he was not yet ready to understand.

 

“I mean how she tries too hard to be funny, of course! Some of her jokes are absolutely terrible and advocate morally unjust actions!” Eleanor exclaimed, mustering her best ‘Serious Eleanor’ voice.

“Haha! Is that what’s been bothering you? You looked so serious earlier, I thought it was something really troubling.” Phi laughed.

  
  


But in Eleanor’s mind, it was quite troubling. Magilou’s loss for words, her uncertainty of the gift, and the darkness Eleanor could feel when she had insisted on trying to put the earrings on for Magilou all made her feel as if she had seen something that she wasn’t meant to.  


* * *

  
Magilou would often wake in the night. Even Bienfu would complain about his mistress’s restlessness, and how she would talk in her sleep. On normal nights when she would wake, she would just turn the other side and at least try to fall back asleep.

But tonight was different.

Magilou swung her legs over the side of her bed and stretched. She decided to walk outside to the deck, needing some space to clear her mind. Witches weren’t above getting some fresh air, after all.

Bienfu continued sleeping silently at the foot of her bed, dreaming away of some ex of his coming back. He awoke only to the sound of the click of the door, and in his drowsiness he looked for his longtime partner, only to see the fading imprint upon the sheets.

  


The stars were now bright and clear, scattered upon the deep violet sky while the moon watched over the witch gazing off to the rolling waves of the sea.  
  


Magilou lifted up a wooden box that she had carried with her and opened it up, glancing once more upon the twin jewels inside, and once more did she raise them in the air.  
  


Just as the sun did earlier that day, the moon’s light found its way to the gemstones and glimmered upon their surface. The blue light of the moon filtered through them, casting an amethyst hued patterned on the deck.

 

“Really, such beautiful earrings.” Magilou muttered. “Quite unbefitting for someone utterly vile as me. The gemstone of light for someone who was meant to live in the shadows? How poetically ironic.” She chuckled to herself. “Now, just what were you thinking, giving _yourself_ away to me just like that, Eleanor?” She placed the earrings back in the box and gently shut the lid.

 

“Miss Magilou?” Bienfu, wiping away the sleep from his eyes through his hat, had finally found his partner in crime.

“Oh, my dear Bienfu. Did I wake you?” The witch greeted without looking behind her. Bienfu flew up to the lacquered wood railing with his devilish wings to get closer. When he looked up, he was surprised to see a sight that he hadn’t seen in ages.

“M-Miss Magilou! Are you-”

“No, I am not.” She cut him off, pressing a hand over his signature top hat. “It’s just raining. Just raining, is all.” Magilou repeated, yet not a single cloud in the sky was present. A stray drop of rain trickled down her cheek and fell down to be lost in the sea forever.

 

“Truly, how aggravating. Nothing but stabs in the chest...over and over and over.”  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Whoops I accidentally fell into the rarest ship in this fandom don't mind me just watering my own crops like nobody else's business.  
> If it wasn't obvious, the earrings were made of the same "Eleanor" gemstone mentioned in her sidequest.  
> These two have so much potential and I'm going to do what Bamco was afraid to and make them interact more. anyway leave a kudo if you enjoyed and a comment about what you liked! Feel free to yell at me on my twitter too @akihafuji if you like this pairing because I'm just here yelling at my own self for the time being :V HAPPY FEMSLASH FEBRUARY


End file.
